Unemployment in Bulgaria in November 2017 was 6.2% - Eurostat

Unemployment in Bulgaria in November 2017 was 6.2 per cent, the same rate as the previous two months, and down from 6.8 per cent in November 2016, according to figures released on January 9 by European Union statistics agency Eurostat.

The unemployment rate in Bulgaria was again below the EU average, which was 7.3 per cent in November 2017.

Eurostat estimated that 210,000 people in Bulgaria were jobless, a figure about 8,000 lower than in November 2016.

Youth unemployment in Bulgaria in November 2017 was 12.6 per cent, down from 15.8 per cent in November 2016.

The euro zone (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.7 per cent in November 2017, down from 8.8 per cent in October 2017 and from 9.8 per cent in November 2016. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since January 2009.

The EU28 unemployment rate in November 2017 was the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since October 2008.

Eurostat estimates that 18.116 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 14.263 million in the euro zone, were unemployed in November 2017.

Compared with October 2017, the number of unemployed decreased by 155 000 in the EU28 and by 107 000 in the euro zone. Compared with November 2016, unemployment fell by 2.133 million in the EU28 and by 1.561 million in the euro area.

Among EU countries, the lowest unemployment rates in November 2017 were recorded in the Czech Republic (2.5 per cent), Malta and Germany (both 3.6 per cent).

The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (20.5 per cent in September 2017) and Spain (16.7 per cent).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in all EU countries for which data is comparable over time.

The largest decreases were registered in Greece (from 23.2 per cent to 20.5 per cent between September 2016 and September 2017), Portugal (from 10.5 per cent to 8.2 per cent), Croatia (from 12.5 per cent to 10.4 per cent) and Cyprus (from 13.1 per cent to 11.0 per cent).

In November 2017, 3.698 million young people (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.624 million were in the euro area. Compared with November 2016, youth unemployment decreased by 429 000 in the EU28 and by 286 000 in the euro zone.

In November 2017, the youth unemployment rate was 16.2 per cent in the EU28 and 18.2 per cent in the euro area, compared with 18.2 per cent and 20.5 per cent respectively in November 2016.

In November 2017, the lowest rates of youth unemployment were in the Czech Republic (five per cent) and Germany (6.6 per cent), while the highest were recorded in Greece (39.5 per cent in September 2017), Spain (37.9 per cent) and Italy (32.7 per cent), Eurostat said.../IBNA